Fairbanks Fire Fighters Ass'n, Local 1324 v. City of Fairbanks

OPINION

CARPENETI, Justice.

I. INTRODUCTION

This appeal poses the question whether the Alaska Labor Relations Agency has jurisdiction to decide if an issue is arbitrable. The agency ruled that it had that power, and held that the underlying issue in this case was arbitrable. The superior court concluded that the agency did not have that power, but agreed that the underlying issue was arbitra-ble, and so it affirmed the agency decision. We first hold that, while the arbitrability issue is technically moot under the procedural posture of this case, 1 the public interest exeeption to the mootness…